This invention relates to chemical lasers and, more particularly, to a system for generating molecular oxygen in the excited singlet-delta electronic state for utilization by chemical lasers.
The mechanics of gas lasers are currently well known. Chemical lasers induce a lasing action by mixing an optically active lasing medium with an electronically excited energizing gas and then directing a flow of the resultant gaseous mixture into an optical laser cavity where the lasing action is generated. The lasing medium and the electronically excited gas react chemically to provide the necessary population inversion and lifetime required to create the lasing action.
Chemical laser systems have proven to be very useful for a number of applications and considerable interest in their development has evolved. The attendant problems associated with preparing, storing, maintaining and delivering the requisite reactant gases has hindered the application of chemical lasers particularly in airborne applications.
In overcoming the problems of providing simple, efficient and dependable sources of electronically excited energizing gases for chemical lasers, it has been found that a chemical reaction between chlorine gas and a basic solution of hydrogen peroxide will generate a stream of molecular oxygen in the excited singlet-delta electronic state. The excited oxygen can then be added to a suitable lasing medium and the mixture passed through an optical resonator to bring about a lasing action.